Barry, Fau Weigh Wxel Merger Pact

March 20, 1997|By LORI CROUCH Staff Writer

The state university system and Barry will present the plan to the Florida Cabinet and Gov. Lawton Chiles on Tuesday. Barry and Florida Atlantic universities may become partners in a consortium to take over Palm Beach County's only public broadcasting outlet, WXEL radio and television, officials said on Wednesday.

The state university system and Barry, a private Catholic school based in Miami Shores, will present the plan to the Florida Cabinet and Gov. Lawton Chiles on Tuesday, after hammering out details this Monday.

WXEL-Ch. 42 and WXEL (FM 90.7) were scheduled to merge with Barry, but the Attorney General's Office ruled that the nonprofit corporation formed by the merger did not qualify for a lease of WXEL's $5 million studios, which are owned by the state.

The lease needed clearance from the Cabinet, sitting as the state Board of Education, the attorney general said.

When the issue came before them, the Cabinet and Chiles asked the university system and Barry to try to work out an agreement.

Barry proposed a minor role for Boca Raton-based FAU and community colleges in Broward, Palm Beach and Indian River counties. Not satisfied, FAU was planning a competing proposal to form its own consortium with the three community colleges rather than work with Barry.

The state Board of Regents last Friday authorized FAU president Anthony Catanese to seek clearance from the Cabinet to form the consortium to take over WXEL. It also authorized him to pay Barry up to $750,000 for any money the private university already invested in the station.

Barry University president Sister Jeanne O'Laughlin conferred this week with Regent Jon Moyle and university system Chancellor Charles Reed about forming a partnership between Barry and FAU.

The community colleges and other educational institutions also would be involved, Moyle said.

"It's an opportunity to keep a public asset for our area and to come up with an innovative approach," said Moyle, who first raised objections to the WXEL-Barry merger because it was presented as an accomplished fact without any chance for public input. "It could be a model for the rest of the country."

Barry spokeswoman Michelle Morris cautioned, however, that the concept of a partnership is still just a vague idea.

"Words like `equal' are the things that have to be worked out," she said.

Before the discussions began, Barry indicated it wanted FAU to be a junior partner, said Carla Coleman, FAU vice president for university advancement.

"We're very much looking forward to meeting to work out the details," Coleman said. "It's important that a public institution be involved. Let's just say the publicity, I think, has made everyone realize what's at stake and has spurred both sides to try to reach an agreement."

WXEL officials said they probably would not have any objections to a partnership between Barry and FAU. "Our ultimate goal is for the station to survive and be strong and serve the community," WXEL spokesman Phil DiComo said. "We're not looking to be a stumbling block."